The Business and Markets major is for students interested in using applied economics to understand how market structures, business practices, and international trade impact food supply and security worldwide. If you have an interest in agri-business, then you can choose several of your restricted electives from courses offered by the Sauder School of Business (e.g., marketing, finance and accounting).
Why study Business and Markets?
How can a sizeable fraction of the global population be undernourished while at the same time up to 30 percent of available food is wasted? Does the federal carbon tax make food less affordable, and if yes by how much? Why do consumers buy organic if conventional food is deemed safe by federal authorities?
In the Business and Markets major you will learn how to use economic theories of business and markets along with data analysis to answer these types of questions. The Business and Markets major is highly unique given its focus on the interactive relationships between food, natural resources and the environment. Future employers will be impressed with your nuanced knowledge of food markets and the set of tools which you use to analyze these markets.
Program Overview
The courses taken in Year 1 of this program are similar to the courses taken by students majoring in Economics.
In Year 2 students begin their training in food and resource economics through two introductory FRE course. They also begin their training in statistical analysis and begin to choose restricted electives with the Business and Markets major in mind.
It is in years 3 and 4 where the course requirements for the two alternative FRE majors begin to differentiate. In addition to taking a suite of upper year FRE courses and a relatively large number of restricted electives, third and fourth years students in the Business and Markets major will choose eligible courses offered by the Sauder School of Business. Students who are interested in international development may choose to take FRE and non-FRE courses which feature development from an agricultural business and markets perspective.
Sample Courses
Professors in the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) group work along side their disciplinary peers in the internationally renowned Vancouver School of Economics and the Sauder School of Business, as well as their interdisciplinary (science) peers in UBC’s Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, the Animal Welfare Program, the Food and Beverage Innovation Center, the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, and the Public Health and Urban Nutrition Research Group.
Here is collection of courses available within the program:
- FRE 306: Introduction to Global Food Markets
- ECON 255: Understanding Globalization
- LFS 252: Land, Food, and Community: Quantitative Data Analysis
- FRE 374: Land and Resource Economics
- FRE 394: Environment, Society and Government
- FNH 420: The Economics of International Trade and the Environment
- FRE 460: Economics of Food Consumption
- FRE 474: Economics of Global Resource Use and Conservation
To see the complete list of required courses for this program, please consult the UBC Academic Calendar. Current students, please use your Academic Progress Report on Workday to track your progress.
Minors
You may opt to supplement your Food and Resource Economics major with a minor program, which involves taking courses in a subject area outside of your specialization. Food, Nutrition and Health students are eligible to apply for a Minor in Arts, Commerce, Science, Fermentations, Sustainable Food Systems, or Kinesiology. Learn more about minors, including application timelines, here.
How to Apply
Direct Entry
Student who wish to apply for direct (from high school) entry into the FRE program must follow the procedures for applying to the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. The direct entry admission requirements are summarized here.
Second Year Entry
Students can apply to the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) program after completing 24 credits of first year university-level courses from any program. When applying to the FRE program with this second-year entry option, students are expected to have completed MATH 100 and ECON 101 (or equivalent) and ideally will also have completed ECON 102 and MATH 101 (or equivalent).
To be considered for second year entry, students are required to have a minimum academic standing of at least 70% (or 2.80 on a 4-point scale). Achievement of this minimum, however, does not guarantee admission. Admission is limited by the Faculty’s capability to accommodate students in the FRE program. When applying to FRE, students must submit a one – two page letter of intent which answers the following questions.
When applying to FRE, students must submit a one – two page letter of intent which answers the following questions:
- Why the student wishes to enroll in the Food and Resource Economics program
- The student’s professional aspirations
- Any relevant personal, volunteer, or work experience
The UBC admission portal for the FRE program for both direct entry and second-year entry can be found here.
Where Can a Degree in Food and Resource Economics Take You?
As a graduate of the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) program you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to work as an analyst for: agencies whose goal is to improve social economic outcomes (e.g., global food security and biodiversity conservation); firms in the areas of international trade in agri-food products; companies in the renewable energy sector; or with enterprises processing food products.
After completing the program you may wish to enroll in graduate programs in environmental sciences, applied and natural resource economics, public policy, and business. Top graduates of the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) program are frequently admitted to the highly-competitive Masters of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE). This one-year professional program, which also emphasizes data analytics, has a high placement rate in a wide assortment of jobs in the public and private sectors.
Get a head start on your career-related work experience while you’re at UBC. Check out What You Can Do With a Food and Resource Economics major here, and scroll through our job board for postings that relate to your field of study!
Got Questions?
If you are a prospective or current student with questions about planning for or choosing this major, or if you have questions about how your transfer credits apply, get in touch! One of our academic advisors in LFS Student Services will be glad to help you.
If you’re already in the major and have specific questions about restricted electives or directed studies, please contact your program advisor, James (Jim) Vercammen.